


my love, take me to a place i've only heard of

by indestinatus



Category: NCIS
Genre: Christmas, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Ice Skating, Winter Wonderland, excuse for a date honestly, ho ho ho it's christmas in august, lots of snow and stolen glances, so sugary it makes you wanna throw up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26157952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indestinatus/pseuds/indestinatus
Summary: After hearing that Ziva had never been to a Winter Wonderland, Tony takes her out on anon-date.
Relationships: Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo
Comments: 15
Kudos: 48





	1. we should just kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [benditlikepress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/benditlikepress/gifts).



> title comes from "LÉON's Lullaby" by LÉON.  
> chapter titles come from "Like Real People Do" by Hozier.
> 
> apparently i like writing tiva on christmas, so here it's another one for that unending collection 🎄  
> i wrote this one in a span of a week listening to "Winter Wonderland" on repeat, so pardon any tooth aching, overused sweetness.  
> may add a disclaimer: i know absolutely nothing about ice-skating. 
> 
> for lovely [jess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/benditlikepress), may you have the happiest of birthdays ♡

“Any plans for tonight?”

Ziva raised her head from where she was sitting at her desk to see Tony looking at his computer, typing away the paperwork they were due to deliver next Monday, working late even if it was Christmas Eve. She wondered if his question was meant to be thrown as nonchalantly as he wanted her to believe. 

“Not particularly,” she did her best to sound casual. “You?”

His eyes briefly glanced at her and Ziva looked away, feigning interest in the dull document she also needed to complete at her computer. 

“It’s Christmas Eve,” was Tony’s answer.

He coughed slightly and Ziva met his eyes again to squint at him.

“And that’s supposed to mean something?” she asked, mildly confused.

“It’s Christmas, David,” Tony repeated with a slight shrug. “It’s snowing outside. You know the deal.”

Ziva glanced at the window to find that he spoke the truth―nonstop snow fell on the streets of Washington and cold smoke condensed the glass, partially obstructing the view. Looking at Tony again, she raised a brow at the amused smirk that quirked up at the corner of his mouth, wondering what she was missing.

“Enlighten me.”

Tony’s eyes flickered to hers before settling back on the computer, though the smile twitching in his lips stayed. 

“There are only two types of people on Christmas Eve,” he stated smugly. “The ones who watch the snow from the inside and the ones who do it on the outside. I am not a guy to be sulking alone at home,” he huffed.

“Really?” Ziva propped her face on her palm to lean over her desk, trying to shorten the distance between them. “Do you feel… lonely?”

Tony’s smug smirk gave space to a weak chuckle. “ _No_ ,” he smiled sheepishly. “I’m a man with principles. What fun is there to be watching Hallmark classics at home when you could be experiencing them outside?”

He stared at Ziva and she could’ve sworn some color stained his cheeks when a smile started to twitch on her lips.

“You watch Hallmark movies?” she queried, tilting her head.

“No.” Tony let out an awkward laugh, loosening up his tie. “Sometimes,” he confessed, then cleared his throat and made his voice deeper, “again, I’m a man with principles.”

Ziva chuckled at his failed attempt to hide the truth. “That is as vague as a cloud in the summer.”

Tony scowled, then shot her an annoyed lip-tight smile. “First of all, you should try to speak English sometimes. Last time I heard, we were still in the U.S. of A. I don’t even want to think too much about the meaning of that sentence.” 

Ziva rolled her eyes and Tony’s grin only widened.

“Secondly, how do you know what Hallmark is anyway? I thought you only spent your free time reading big, boring novels with sticky Pulitzer prize labels on the cover.”

“Well, how do you know what’s a Pulitzer prize?” Ziva asked sassily and Tony glared in return. “Wait, wait―I know,” she snapped her fingers. “You are a man with _'principles’ ._ ”

Ziva chuckled and Tony huffed annoyed, turning to his computer again. 

“That’s why you don’t have any plans on Christmas Eve, Probette,” he scoffed.

Ziva couldn’t hold back her second eye roll, retorting, “I thought it was because I do not celebrate Christmas.”

“No one can avoid the good Christmas spirit,” he stated dryly. “You’re just too sour of a woman.”

“And you’re just too narrow-minded of a man,” she bickered back.

Tony faked a smile and she angled her nose up, huffing softly. Waiting for him to taunt her back, Ziva was mildly disappointed when he resumed typing, annoyance softening into a neutral expression. 

“So, you have a date tonight?” she tried to sound casual, but Tony's eyes sparkled slightly when he caught her watching.

“No.” Tony’s forehead creased a little. “Not _yet_ ,” he amended with a lift of his brow. “I’ll find one once I get to Winter Wonderland.”

“Winter Wonderland?” Ziva questioned absentmindedly, only to catch Tony staring back at her. “What?”

He huffed, his mouth slightly open in surprise. 

“Don’t tell me you've never been to Winter Wonderland.” His eyes widened at her blank expression. “Christmas lights that make you blind? Cold air that makes your teeth shatter? Children screaming, couples annoying, families laughing too loud?”

Wrinkling her nose, Ziva shook her head. “If I did, I have no recollection.”

“What were you doing _for years_ then?” He sounded shocked. 

“Tony," she said with a lift of her brow. "I don’t celebrate Christmas.”

He spent a moment studying her, eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the piece of information she'd given him. They commonly talked about plans and agendas, but somehow always managed to tiptoe around their traditions. When topics got too personal or vulnerability turned too real, either they instantly switched back to their natural teasing mode, or spent too long in silence debating what to talk about next and were usually interrupted.

Not surprisingly, Tony's eyes sparkled right before he spoke. “That’s just sad. I’m sad for you.”

“Hm,” Ziva pursed her lips, nodding at his choice. She couldn't deny the slight disappointment she felt when he resumed typing, not questioning her further. A small part of her wanted him to be interested in her life outside of work, but she tried to bury that desire down while she picked up where she had left off. 

Her focus slowly drifted back to the task in hand and she lost herself in her work, typing away witness statements and bank account numbers.

“Grab your coat.”

Ziva startled slightly at his voice so near, taken aback by Tony’s presence that had suddenly materialized just beside her desk. 

She gave him a once-over and Tony’s lips twitched into an amused smirk, and only _then_ did Ziva grasped the meaning of his words.

“And why would I do that?”

He gave her a lopsided grin, stepping closer. “I’m just having a moment of pity.”

Ziva huffed, lifting a brow.

“Do as I say,” he added slowly, a challenging twinkle in his eyes. “ _Please_?”

Still surprised by his proposition, Ziva took a moment to study him―hands inside the pockets of his winter jacket and a cheeky smile that constantly drove her mad―but Tony only lifted a brow in silent invitation under her stare.

His smile broadened almost imperceptibly when Ziva stood up, turning off the screen of her computer and putting on her coat.

“Alright.” She nodded, still somewhat puzzled by the night’s sudden change of events. Tony stepped back and motioned to the elevator with a duck of his head, and Ziva couldn’t refrain her heart from fluttering when he chuckled as she invaded his personal space to head towards the exit.

“Where are we going?” she asked once the elevator’s doors were closed.

Tony looked at her from the corner of his eye. “You’re not in the place to ask questions,” he stated in a serious tone, but a quick glance at him told her he was actually trying to hide a smile. “And you already know where.”

* * *

The Christmas lights weren’t as blinding as he’d let her believe. They had this bluish tone, perhaps because of all the fog swirling around it. He’d been right about the cold, though―her teeth shattered against her own will, and even inside her warm coat pockets, her fingertips were turning numb with the late hour. 

“It’s beautiful,” Ziva admitted, surveying the little village of wooden cabins with snow-covered rooftops and decorated windows. Vendors displayed their various crafts and one of the booths had a sign for hot drinks, where they were now stationed under, seeking shelter from the snowfall.

She took another sip of her hot chocolate and turned to Tony, only to catch him already staring.

“Yes,” he replied, eyes still fixed on her as he lifted his drink in silent agreement. Over the cup, Tony gave her a hint of a smile, eyes sparkling with an unshared secret he knew she would understand. 

Ziva couldn’t keep herself from smiling too, suddenly unable to meet his gaze. She wondered if he would see the red of her cheeks as a result of the cold or something else entirely. 

“It is also freezing,” she found herself saying, rubbing her hands together as she did so. He chuckled, and the sound was a warmth she didn’t know she needed.

“I thought you couldn’t feel the cold.” Tony lifted a brow, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Weren’t you the original Ice Queen?”

She noticed he wasn’t wearing gloves, nor a beanie or a scarf, and found herself questioning if his rosy cheeks and ears were the only clues he was feeling the night air as cold as she was. 

“Some would say I am too hot for that,” Ziva replied, earning another low laugh. 

“I’m just gonna go ahead and ignore that.” 

“Now, I can't feel my face.” 

She was too distracted by his smile to notice a hand suddenly raised up in the air, hovering closely in front of her. 

“Can you feel that?” he asked, and Ziva felt a soft poke at her right cheek.

“Not really,” she replied, still a bit surprised by the gesture. Her heartbeat felt louder inside her chest once she realized how dangerously close Tony’s face was from hers, a relaxed smile making him look younger somehow.

“Well, I can’t feel my finger either, so it’s like we never touched.”

An unspoken truth hung behind the twinkle of his eyes, and Ziva chuckled at the true meaning of his words. She was used to speaking in riddles with him―perhaps since the day they had met―and had always been amused by their innate ability of hiding flirting with common phrasing. It felt like the only path to go, as if all conversations just naturally ended up that way.

Ziva gave him a small smile. “No rules broken, then.”

Tony’s brow lifted, his eyes sparkling. “Who cares about rules on Christmas Eve?”

She pondered what he’d meant by that, narrowing her eyes. Tony only took another sip of his hot chocolate, its smoke partially obstructing the smile that twitched in the corners of his mouth. His tongue darted between his lips then, and Ziva’s eyes settled back at his to find how amused he was that he had caught her staring. _Again_.

Ziva huffed, mildly annoyed, but still felt her pulse quickening against her will. Trying to clear her head, she focused on her surroundings instead. 

A group of children was having a snowball fight just across from her, giggles echoing right before a shout from their mother called them away. Next to them, teenagers laughed loudly, pushing each other and exchanging secrets. Snowflakes still fell persistently from the sky, and a young man stuck out his tongue to taste them, followed by a girl about his age who surprised him with a kiss on his cheek. 

The place was busy, but it didn’t feel crowded. Ziva realized it was just different types of families, enjoying the night how they could. 

She turned to Tony again, wondering what his concept of ‘family’ would mean. If it had anything to do with spending a night with _her_. 

“Looks like everyone had the same idea as we did,” she said carefully, still studying him. He seemed so different from his usual self―shoulders relaxed and a small smile as he watched the snow fall―she found herself questioning if it was because of her presence or the occasion. She always felt strangely comfortable when with him, but that night, there was something else she couldn’t quite place.

“Yes,” Tony replied with a purse of his lips. “I think every single person here was working late on a murder case and suddenly realized a rendez-vous at a freezing weather was a better option than staring at a computer screen for hours.”

Ziva rolled her eyes. “I thought you said you would come here anyway, yes?”

“True, but I didn’t really come equipped for that, you see.” He blew inside his palms and Ziva was amused to see he felt just as cold as she did. “Whether you believe it or not, this was all pretty spontaneous.” 

“Your rendez-vous?”

“It’s French for date.”

Her mouth opened slightly and Tony’s grin only broadened.

“What?” He asked amused, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Thought you spoke many languages.”

“I know what it means.”

“Is it a wrong translation, then?”

Ziva took too long to reply, and that was enough of an answer for him. Tony finished his drink, a side smirk quirking up in his mouth that made Ziva want to kiss it off his lips. She thought she saw him wink at her, but when her eyes raised back to his, there was such an intensity in them, she felt slightly lightheaded. 

“You have something on your―” Ziva mumbled, but before she could think better of it, her thumb was brushing off the chocolate foam that had stayed behind on the corner of his upper lip. 

Heat crept up her neck as soon as she saw Tony swallow, his Adam’s apple moving up and down as he did so. She quickly withdrew her finger, blinking away the want to shorten the distance between them as he clenched his jaw, inhaling deeply. 

“Is it gone?” His voice sounded deeper, and tingles fired low in her belly when his gaze fixed on her mouth instead.

“Yes,” Ziva replied raspily, then coughed slightly, clearing her throat. 

“Are you sure?” His gaze lingered.

“I am.”

Tony’s eyes lifted back to hers and she found them almost black, desire so evident in them that it made her warm from head to toe. His eyes bore into her, and the urge to lean over and brush her lips against his was almost as strong at the sudden quickening of her pulse. 

Without thinking properly, she bit her lower lip, and his eyes were immediately drawn to it.

That must have snapped something within him, because Tony chuckled, running a hand through his short hair as he shook his head and broke off the tension. Ziva’s heartbeat hadn’t calmed down, though. 

“I trust you, then.” His eyes sparkled, and Ziva found herself fascinated by how contagious his smile was. It was a different one, sincere and open―almost vulnerable―and she wondered how often he smiled like that with people. If it was meant only for her. 

“C’mon, Miss David.” Tony stepped back to show her an arm, an amused glint still visible from the corner of his eyes. “Let me show you around. With the more-than-amazing DiNozzo tour, you’re going to fall in love with Christmas in no time. I can guarantee that.”

Ziva smiled then―truly smiled, like she hasn't done in days. It felt so freeing not to have any worries, even if for a fraction of a night, that she found herself attaching her arm around his without much hesitation.

Her hand hooked around his biceps, squeezing it a little in silent gratitude. If he noticed it, he didn’t mention it, and she stopped watching his profile to focus on the path ahead of them instead. 

Snow continued to fall, but it was not as strong as before. It wet her hair and would soon cover her shoulders, but it didn’t really matter. Not when Tony started to share little anecdotes about the places they walked by―a woodcarver who would craft anything you asked (he once challenged the man with the worst-case scenario, and no, it was better if she didn’t know what that was); which booth that had the best of snacks (that being mini chocolate truffles, and no, he wouldn’t accept a different answer) and the best place to build a snowman (which he was sad it was currently occupied, or else he would show that kid what a true snowman really looked like)―and Ziva found herself easily absorbed by his charm, laughing freely and wondering why they didn’t do that more often in the first place. 

It appeared that he had foregone his arrogant facade, making her laugh without trying too hard and sharing lighthearted stories that were so far from the topics they usually discussed, it made her heart flutter against her own will. His disarming smile seemed so new and yet so familiar, Ziva just couldn’t stop smiling herself, pulling his arm closer and leaning into his warmth. 

“You used to go to places like this when you were younger?” she asked, truly curious, after a moment of silence when they’d reached the end of the village but didn’t stop walking.

“Not really.” Tony shook his head. “My grandmother cooked for us on Christmas Eve. From my mother’s side,” he amended with a side glance at her. “She always planned this whole feast, with a three-course meal and everything―I felt stuffed every time, until the following week.”

“You do eat too much.”

Tony lifted a brow, cracking a playful smile her way. “If you knew her, you’d probably feel inclined to eat everything too, or else she would just spoon feed you until you did.”

Ziva chuckled. “She sounds like a strong-minded woman.”

“You two would get along just fine.” 

Ziva’s eyes widened, and she found him smirking down at her amusedly. He cleared his throat, then stared back straight ahead, a side smirk still visible on the corner of his mouth. 

Ziva huffed, unable to refrain the smile now forming on her own lips.

“Why don’t you celebrate Christmas?” Tony asked after a moment of silence.

Ziva took a minute to answer, thinking her words wisely. He didn’t rush her―as if he knew she needed time to process that. He knew her too well for her own good, she mused. 

“I stopped doing it. A few years ago,” Ziva replied with caution. “Jews have their own traditions. I had them too, it’s just... when I came to live here, it just felt… off. The date... it reminded me of family. And of memories that I would prefer not to revisit. For now.”

Tony continued to observe the path ahead, patiently giving her the time she needed. She wondered if he was thinking about Ari. Or Tali, or the things that she didn’t want to unpack right now. Memories that hurt more than made her content, and stories that still needed some time for her to digest until they brought the happiness she felt while living them. 

“You can always make new traditions,” said Tony softly, his hand gently squeezing the one she had rested on his arm. 

Ziva felt her heart swell and fought back the tears that had risen with the sudden drowning sense of relief. His hand stayed on top of hers, his thumb caressing its back as if without thinking, and once again she was amazed by his ability to know exactly what to say when it came to her.

“Like freezing in a Winter Wonderland?” she asked, feeling lighter than she’d felt that whole week. 

Tony chuckled. “Sounds like a perfect plan to me.”

Still letting herself indulge in carefree laughter, Ziva was mildly surprised when he stopped walking, making her halt next to him. She frowned, trying to comprehend his reaction, and was even more confused when he turned to her―eyes sparkling and an excited smile that could only mean trouble. 

Then she looked straight ahead and understood why. 

“ _No_ ,” Ziva muttered nervously, shaking her head and gluing her feet to the ground. 

“Oh, _c’mon_.” Tony’s grin broadened, and Ziva wasn’t pleased to realize that they wouldn’t leave the place until he could convince her. 

“I am not really good at that,” she tried to be casual about it, but it came out more like a plea. 

Tony beamed, clearly thrilled to have found a new weakness in her.

“The great Ziva David is scared of _ice skating_?” He huffed, surprised. “Don’t be a _coward_. This looks like 1950s New York!”

Tony was right. It looked truly beautiful. 

Snow fell over a small rink filled with people, the bluish tone of the ice giving it an almost ghostly quality. The sound of skates cutting through the surface was the only noise audible, mixed with a sparse laugh or the occasional thump of someone falling and quickly standing up again. Children raced to the other side of the rink while elders watched them from its outskirts, and some couples even dared skating together, crossing the ice with hands intertwined.

It looked like a scene straight from a Merry Christmas card, but that didn’t tone Ziva’s worries down at all. 

“It does not snow in the desert,” she retorted, trying not to sound too desperate for an excuse. 

“Thought you called yourself an American citizen by now.” Tony’s reaction was to unhook his arm from hers and hold both her hands tightly, pulling her towards the entrance with an excited glint in his eyes.

He must have sensed her distress, though, because he stopped just where the ticket booth was stationed. “Hey,” he searched for her eyes, and only continued when she had looked at him. “It’s crowded. It’s Christmas. No one will care. Well, I certainly _will_ record it if you fall, but that will only stay with me _forever._ ”

Ziva gave him a half attempt of a laugh and Tony tilted his head in silent request. 

“I am not sure about this,” she confessed, eyeing the ice with concern, questioning why she had never learned ice skating before then in the first place. 

Tony’s hands tightened around hers and Ziva’s eyes settled back on his.

“Be my Christmas wish?” he asked, his soft gaze disarming her.

Ziva huffed, trying to regain some composure. “Santa died a long time ago,” she stated dryly. 

“You killed him?”

Tony took a step closer and Ziva could see the smoke from the breath that had hitched from her mouth because of it. 

His eyes bore into hers again, and if this was his attempt at puppy eyes, she thought he needed way more practice at it―though the proximity made her heartbeat gallop nonetheless.

Suddenly, Tony chuckled, making her even more suspicious. “You really are unbreakable, aren’t you?” he mused, with his hands still holding hers, and Ziva thought the touch burned even more than the current frosty air. 

“Years of training,” she replied, but her voice had lost its strength. 

If her pulse was fast before, it was nothing compared to when Tony raised both her hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on her knuckles as he asked, “please?”

Her hands stayed inside his, and his thumb stroked the place where his lips had briefly been. 

Ziva’s heartbeat was loud in her ears when she swallowed.

“Fine.”

Tony’s answering grin brought butterflies to her belly, but they were quickly replaced by dread once he paid for the tickets and a young woman gave them their skates. Still fighting the nervousness growing at the pit of her stomach, Ziva almost didn’t realize they were still holding hands until Tony let go of her to sit at the bench area. 

_Almost_.

She looked at him then, noticing with a degree of uneasiness that he couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear as he waited for her to change out of her shoes.

“You really are enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Me?” His grin broadened. “Not at all.”

“I hope you choke on that laugh.”

Tony’s answering one was even louder, and he stood up to cross the space of the carpet towards the ice. With a smug grin directed at her, he glided forward for a short distance with ease, ending his move with a swift turn of his skates that shoveled a bit of snow up as he spun to where she was seated. 

Ziva wrinkled her nose. “Show-off,” she muttered under her breath as she finished lacing up her skates. 

Standing up, she was relieved to see it wasn’t so different from walking on her high heels―though that was only on the carpet. 

_But it shouldn’t be that hard, right?_

Even with a little voice in her mind telling her to run the other way, Ziva made sure to keep her head up high as she crossed the space to the rink entrance, holding the support bar as she neared the ice. 

She was still looking at him when her feet slipped and, to her shame, had to grip the bars with both hands to manage not to fall. 

Tony bit his lower lip as he tried not to laugh and Ziva shot him a glare, but it was as clear as the ice she now stood that he was the one with the upper-hand inside that rink. 

“C’mon,” he motioned with his chin and let go of the bar to slowly glide just beside her. “One foot after the other, it’s just like walking.”

Ziva would’ve been surprised with his ability if she wasn’t mildly annoyed by it, Tony’s posture almost graceful as he balanced on either foot, making the sport look easy. She knew he could dance well enough―and he must have practiced ice skating there with his many dates throughout the years―but something in the way he looked so relaxed doing it fascinated her more than she would ever admit. 

She grunted as she tried to let go of the bars and the blades under her feet betrayed her. 

“It’s like walking on thin ice.”

Tony chuckled. “I would congratulate you for the linguistic joke if you weren’t using sharp ice skates at a dangerous distance from my crotch.”

Trying to find her balance, Ziva failed to think of a good comeback in time. “This is impossible,” her voice wavered, and she was almost giving up on the skates and returning to firm ground again when he spoke. 

“You just have to let go of the fear.”

“I have no fear.”

Both of them knew that was a lie, but Ziva put on a brave face right before closing her eyes to clear away the frustration. 

She didn’t know if it was the position or the growing need not to fail that brought the memory back to the surface, but as soon as her eyes were closed, it was like she had been transported decades to the past to the ballet class she once had, _years_ ago.

As if from a dream and then all at once, memories of discipline and lessons on rhythm inundated her senses, and made her remember that balance wasn’t something one was born with, but it was rather honed―it came from the inner core, just like with fighting. 

“Have some fun, Ziva,” his voice made her eyes snap open. Tony had come closer, his hand laying just next to hers atop the support bar that framed the rink. Behind him, the others had blurred into figures, skating too fast for Ziva to discern with his face so close to hers like that. 

“No one cares,” he added with a small smile. “Pretend it’s only you and me.”

Ziva blinked away the surprise at how honest his words sounded, the openness a change she was not expecting to find in his eyes.

“C’mon. Hold on to me,” he offered her an elbow, and Ziva’s mind briefly drifted to how similar the gesture had been to the one earlier that night. She wondered how many times he had been there to help her and she hadn’t noticed at all.

Her heartbeat was fast as she withdrew her fingers slowly from the bar, finding with some amount of relief that it wasn’t so difficult if she stood calm and still. 

Then she tried to move and her feet slipped once again, and Ziva couldn’t hold back the muffled cry that left her lips as she dug her fingernails into his forearm.

Tony chuckled, then bit back his smile under her glare, though she could clearly see his eyes sparkling when he looked the other way. Fighting the urge to laugh, Tony patiently waited until she had pushed her weight onto him to start moving across the ice.

Ziva was genuinely relieved to see that her skates started following his, but she would rather fall than admit that to him. Soon they were gliding, a cold breeze tousling her hair while she tried her best not to make a fool of herself, fingernails still marking his arm. 

“I wonder what Gibbs would say,” Tony said right next to her ear, and for a moment she could feel his warm breath against the exposed skin of her cheek. 

“If he saw us here together?” Ziva glanced at him, her forehead creasing at how amused he looked.

“If he saw you holding on to me as if your life depended on it.”

“Ha-ha.”

Ziva quickly realized that rolling her eyes hadn’t been the wisest move, because one of her skates kept moving while the other one went in the opposite direction. She whimpered, and this time Tony couldn’t hold back the laughter as she proved his words to be true. 

“I won’t let you fall,” he breathed again next to her ear, making her shiver. It tickled, how close he was, but amazingly still not close _enough_. 

Ziva tried to regain some composure as she swallowed. “I thought you said you would laugh your head off,” she replied with a glare. 

Tony clicked his tongue. “The holiday must have rubbed off on me. This sweet facade won’t last long though. Just warning you.”

She narrowed her eyes. "Well, soon I will not need you."

"Then we can race to the other side."

It was her time to chuckle. "You will fall before that."

"I'm not the one clinging to every surface." 

"I’m a fast learner." 

Out of spite, Ziva released his arm and was amused to see Tony’s brows lifting at how she glided over the ice for a fair distance without his help. 

The proud moment lasted a total of seconds before a frenzied child crossed her path, and she immediately threw herself again in his direction, trusting her gut that if she was about to fall, she would rather take him with her. 

Tony laughed then, the warm sound echoing right next to her ear, as his strong arm gave her the support she needed but didn’t ask to. 

"I think you’ll have to convince me of that, lady,” he said, a smile clear in his voice. “Next Winter… we’ll see." 

Ziva turned to him, her eyes widening slightly at his proposition. She found Tony already looking at her, a smile twitching in his lips. Suddenly unable to meet his gaze―knowing he would see the truth she wouldn’t be able to hide―she glanced straight ahead to find that they had neared the other side of the rink. 

Ziva laughed then; a true, bright burst of laugh that crinkled the corner of her eyes, amazed that she had somehow managed to go that far. She didn’t notice when exactly she had truly stopped gripping Tony's arm, but suddenly both her hands were holding the opposite bar, and an unexpected kick of endorphins made her head feel light.

Still amazed by how much she had enjoyed herself, Ziva turned to Tony to find him already watching her. He looked fascinated, his eyes skimming her face in wonder, and her heart skipped a beat when he mirrored her expression with his typical thousand-watt smile.

Tony let out a warm chuckle as he let his back rest against the bar just next to her, directing his smile towards the sky. She noticed with surprise that it had stopped snowing, but the air was now foggier than it had been before. 

Ziva glanced at him, then looked back to focus on the support bar again, starting to fidget by the sight of how close her fingers were from his atop of it. 

"I am sorry,” she said, and let her little finger brush against his before she could stop herself, her pulse racing. The touch was so light, yet it burned through all the numbness from the cold. “For blowing your date,” Ziva added, pleased by how steady her voice sounded in contrast to how she was feeling inside.

She glanced at Tony to find his lips twitching into a smile.

"Are you?" he asked, amused.

"I will not say it again.” 

He nodded, a twinkle in his eyes. "I thought so."

Her heartbeat was loud in her ears when Ziva shortened the distance between them, leaning into him to press a soft kiss to his right cheek. The touch lingered for a few seconds, but she was aware that the moment would be brief.

When she drew back to look at him, Ziva was amused to find Tony’s eyes wide, blinking away his surprise at the gesture. Perhaps he hadn't been as certain it would’ve come to this as she had originally thought.

Ziva laughed. “Merry Christmas, Tony.”

He turned to her then, his lips opening into the widest grin yet. 

“Merry Christmas.”


	2. like real people do

He reminded her of their golden retriever when the excitement was so clear in his eyes like that. 

She could almost feel the dog nudging her leg, a ball in its mouth as it demanded playtime with the same look Tony now cast her, his eyes wide and his lips tugged into a broad smile. 

“Oh, _c’mon_ ,” Tony pleaded when he saw her serious expression.

“No.” Ziva shook her head, laughing dryly at how he tried to persuade her with a lift of his brow.

“It’s not me who’s asking, though.”

She kept looking at him, knowing that if she glanced away, the chance of resisting would drastically change. Preparing herself to hold her ground, Ziva inhaled deeply, her gaze flickering to the foggy night sky, then to a group of children having a snowball fight nearby, and only after that did it settle at Tali pulling the fabric of her coat. 

“Pleeease?” Tali asked, her eyes bright and glossy, a gap-toothed smile openly displayed. 

She had always been good at it―the puppy eyes with a sad note in them that always transformed into joy right after―and Ziva constantly questioned if she was spoiling her too much. Narrowing her eyes as she tried not to fall into Tali’s trap, Ziva raised a thumb to quickly brush off the remains of the chocolate truffle that had stayed behind on her upper lip before looking at Tony again. 

“You know how bad I am at it,” she confessed, uneasiness starting to form as Tony shook his head, denying her the support she asked for. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, a smile twitching in his lips, “but you’ll need to give me proof of that.”

Ziva huffed. “You already have _years_ of proof.”

“ _She_ doesn’t.”

Without thinking, Ziva’s eyes settled back at Tali and she realized it too late that it had been a mistake when her daughter started to pout. 

“Please, Ima? Look, it’s even snowing! Just like in Arendelle!”

Tali jumped on the spot, an open palm raising up in the air to try to catch the falling snowflakes. The sight made Ziva’s heart swell―Tali’s rosy cheeks twitching as she giggled―and as she found her control slipping away, she fixed her attention at the view in front of them instead. 

The ice rink wasn’t as crowded as it had been in previous winters, but perhaps it was because it was still early in the evening. It looked just as beautiful, though―Christmas lights now hung over it in rows that came together in the middle, casting a soft glow at the children that zigzagged across the ice and friends that laughed together side by side; the air filled with a joyful spirit that made her insides warm. 

Ziva couldn’t hold back a smile. “Go with her,” she said to Tony as she fixed Tali’s hat in place. “I’ll take the pictures.”

He clicked his tongue. “Why take pictures when you can make memories?”

She glanced at Tony again to find him eagerly waiting for her to give in, his brows lifted in silent request. 

“You’re irritating.”

“What?” He feigned offense and then shook his head. “I’m _charming_. I’ll even hold your hand, see? I’ll never let you fall.”

Intertwining their fingers and bringing them to his lips, he pressed a brief kiss to her knuckles before letting it fall to his side, keeping their hands joined.

“I know that,” Ziva sighed. “It’s just-”

“Please?” Tony asked softly, and Ziva was startled to see how similar he looked to Tali. He must have learned the puppy eyes from her throughout the years because they certainly got a lot better than to what she was used to.

Weighing her options and thinking about how she could get away from skating, Ziva darted her gaze between the two of them pouting the exact same way for a long minute before she’d realized she had lost that battle before it had even started. 

“Fine,” she gave in, and Tali let out an excited squeal that turned into smoke in the frosty air. “For _her_ , not for you.”

Tony’s lips twitched into a smile. “I wasn’t a nice boy this year, anyway.” He winked.

Ziva huffed at his smugness before letting herself be dragged by both of them to the rink entrance. In no time, she was wearing ice skates again, crossing the carpet with the same self-consciousness she always felt towards it while Tali darted to grab one of penguin skating aids before throwing herself into the rink. 

“Be careful!” Ziva shouted, but she was already gone. 

“She’ll be fine. She loves it.”

“Well, I do _not_.”

Tony chuckled, then pulled her by the hand towards the ice.

“Hold on to me,” he said reassuringly as he gave her his arm. “I thought you knew this rule by now.”

“That’s not really a good example, is it?” Ziva replied anxiously but hooked her arm around his anyway.

Tony eyed her from the corner of his eyes and took a moment to understand what she had meant. She always tried to set a good example for Tali―whether it was at home, being open and honest about the things that needed it so; or at public spaces like that, being kind and brave to the people and the things she believed in. 

Ziva wasn’t sure how having to grip Tony's arm only to cross a small rink as if she would die if she touched the ice was a good example of independence or courage, but now she didn’t have the skill set nor the choice to prove her otherwise.

“Relax,” was Tony’s reply, his hand softly patting the one she’d placed around his biceps. “We can always be a good example for her. Aren’t we the annoying couple who can’t stand away from each other, not even in the ice rink?”

She glanced at him to see Tony smiling down at her, his eyes sparkling as if he was in fact surprised at his own words. She hadn’t given much thought before that it was the first time they were there with their _daughter_ ―not only as a couple but as a family―and before she could realize, Ziva was smiling too.

They started to glide over the ice, Tony guiding her to the other side like he did many times over the years, but Ziva somehow always managed to slip even with all that practice. Perhaps she was a natural at fighting, and attacking and reacting quickly on firm ground, but she wasn’t born to ice skate, that’s for sure.

He suddenly made a rather sharp turn and a protesting sound left her lips, Ziva’s fingernails digging into his forearms with urgency. Tony let out a warm chuckle, his eyes dancing at how her helplessness hadn’t changed at all.

“If I fall, and you laugh, there’s one week of doing the dishes right there. And no TV. And buying the groceries for a whole month,” Ziva declared with a glare. 

Tony fought the urge to laugh. “I already do half these things, but yes, ma’am.”

Ziva narrowed her eyes and huffed, looking straight ahead to focus on her balance instead. She was doing a pretty decent job at it until Tony suddenly turned to his right, spinning her in such a sharp movement that she couldn’t hold back the cry of protest that left her lips. 

With her heart in her mouth, Ziva tried to grab onto a nearby surface only to realize he had done it on purpose―Tony now stood grinning like a devil, his hands holding the support bars from either side of her while his body pushed hers against them. 

Ziva let go of his arms to hit him in the chest, but his only reaction was to laugh at her. 

“You’re insufferable.” Her pulse was still racing at the almost fall, but now that he couldn’t stop laughing, she found herself fighting the urge to smile back. 

“But you like it, don’t you?”

Ziva mumbled a weak attempt at bickering that was immediately muffled by Tony’s lips pressing onto hers, his smile still clear through the soft kiss while his thumb lifted to her chin and kept her head in place. 

“Merry Christmas, honey,” he said against her lips.

Ziva couldn’t hold back the smile then. 

“Merry Christmas.”


End file.
